Since I live half a block away from Telegraph Avenue in Oakland I had to read Michael Chabon's newest book Telegraph Avenue. As always with his writing, it took me 200 pages to get into the flow of the story which is dense with its own vernacular, characters and details.
By the conclusion it was like reading about neighbors that I have yet to meet. Now, when I drive along Telegraph, I find myself looking for the people and landmarks so creatively depicted in the story. With so many references to Oakland-specific landmarks and colloquialisms I kept wondering how anyone who does not live on Telegraph could ever understand this book. Perhaps it is a secret read for Oak-Landers?
